Lullaby Girls
by Treesh Aradia
Summary: Read if you like SelphieIrvine Fics, thrillers, discos and a substantial body count. :
1. The Mission

Title:

Title:"The Mission" 

Author:Treesh Aradia

Disclaimer: wish they did belong to me…. but alas…they belong to square…

Summary: This story involves everyone. This is the **revised **version. Read and Review…pls!

Dedicated to:The greatest Beta Reader Any writer can ever have…GYRE!!!! J and my pal BC

The Mission

The place was packed full to its capacity with tons of people letting loose- girls who wanna have fun, office people worn-out from getting kicked around by their superiors and lumberjacks exhausted from their monotonous lives. They had filled the entire space of the disco-bar. The music blared on as the sea of bodies gyrated quickly to the strong infectious beat of some new age disco song, lapping against the edges of their limited dancing space

And this was just seeing it from the outside entrance of the club. Getting in was probably easy but getting out would be the difficult part, like a salmon swimming against the current. As it was people were crammed together with their leather-clad get-up and shimmering sequined boob tubes practically pressing onto some other person. And if that was not enough, the place had started overflowing with people at the bars who thought it amusing to spray beer at the dancers. No one even responded, everyone was too occupied in doing their own thing and some went as far as to gulp down the beer being aimed at them. The place was wild and it had a sort of feral tinge to it. 

"Holy damn almighty." Selphie Tilmitt said, which was probably the closest proximity to her using any sort of profanities. Suddenly, taking up the mission Drake had given her seemed like a very bad move. _I am so going to regret this. _

Irvine Kinneas who was beside her was busy ogling in awe at a group of girls near the line. Well, it was much better than having him gape at her and her 'mission attire'. Which was more cleavage than cloth, to her that was. But looking at the clubbers at Glitter Tech, it certainly made her feel as if she were dressed up like a nun. 

"Well, You ready to boogie?" Irvine smirked at her. He had tried to warn her about the mission requirements but she had been too busy being angry with him to actually pick up on that. _At least he looks like he's having fun._ Selphie sulked, but managed to answer with an innocent smile and a 'nice' nudge to Irvine's ribs, leaving him to fall back a few people behind her. The line at the entrance was starting to move and much to her chagrin her turn was coming up. Irvine was a distance behind her, trying to act inconspicuous as he tried to pick up chicks. _Why did Drake pick Irvine to be back up?_ Rolling her eyes Selphie miserably followed the line closer and closer to the front. _We are on a mission not attending some pseudo orgy_… She silently thought.

The bulky man at the front, the bouncer, was selecting people 'cool' enough to enter. Smoothing her sleek, straight highlighted tan-brown hair she waited for him to see her. _Oh god, I haven't been this anxious since the final fight with Ultimecia._ Checking her black leather boots for potential dirt- it was a nervous habit she picked up earlier on, she casually eyed Irvine. He was talking to a blond. Flirting as usual.

"Hey Miss." The bouncer hollered over the ever-rising din. Looking back at the man she realized he had given her the A-ok to go in. Smiling her thanks she entered the packed club and was immediately surrounded by moving bodies plastered with the smell of sweat and beer. _Wow, that sure was easy_. Looking back she found Irvine and the blond walking in. The girl was laughing at something he said. He was looking around the club and suddenly she found herself staring into his misty blue eyes. Quickly she turned back and began to scan the crowded dome-like room. _Don't want to cramp his style_. She thought sarcastically. Ok…_focus on the mission._ Selphie warned herself and began registering what she was supposed to do. 

No1. Keep a look out for any suspicious characters. 

_Yep, easy, no one in this club seems to be suspicious. They are all perfectly normal people dressed for a day at church._ _Someone has to do something about that darned mission report._ Selphie found herself lost in the coiling mass of never-ending dancers. _The only suspicious one here seems to be me._ She was standing stiffly at the middle of the dance floor, looking at all the dancers strutting their stuff and doing all those NC-17 dance moves. _How am I supposed to do my job in a sty like this???_ _The only way I could see anything is if I were on the platform. That would mean I'd have to be working as a Dancer here. Out of the question. _

Irritated, Selphie began to weave through the crowd. Glancing occasionally at Irvine. _Darn it, he seems to be having fun._

_***_

_ _

"So like I was saying, how can I possibly know that his name was Jared? I mean not everyone looks at people's name tags right?" Chrissie said in her very lame attempt at getting Irvine to listen to her. _God, can't she just shut up?_ Irvine thought exasperatedly as the blond jabbered on in that gratingly high-pitched tone. She had taken to touching his arm in a not so subtle way in the name of flirting. 

_Why did I even bother talking to her? I could have looked casual without this Barbie_.

He was scanning the room searching for something when he stopped. Staring at the girl a few heads in front of him, the girl with her flowing hair of brown highlights. Her face betrayed the clubber image she seemed to want to portray and yet nothing stopped her from looking enticingly stunning… Selphie could have been an angel if she had not also looked like sucha foxy devil. Her eyes were cat-like green, striking and yet innocent. The neon blue strobe lights accentuated her glimmering eye shadow and made her straight hair glimmer. His fascination lingered on her high cheekbones and aristocratic nose before resting on her sultry lips with their lightly tinged silver lip-gloss. Selphie sure grew up to be a siren. The techno music and gyrating dancers ceased to exist as he stared at her. Everything seemed to disappear. 

The first time he saw her in that outfit, he nearly had a cardiac arrest. Irvine knew Selphie was beautiful, but seeing her with her metallic blue handkerchief top and sleek black leather pants, it blew him away, he couldn't stop staring at her the whole night. He tried staring at the other girls, but no one could compare. It was ironic how she was dressed like the devil herself and yet managed to maintain her angelic innocence. 

He was still staring at her when his conscience began ringing in his head. He pictured the danger alarms buzzing around. _Irvine, knock it out. She said she wanted to be friends nothing more_. Regaining his composure, he tuned back to Chrissie, occasionally staring at the girl with the angelic face… "And I was like so confused, he said his name was Jared…." 

***

The streetlamps were dimly lit as the girl walked down the secluded path, the loud music fading as she went further away from the club. The faint rustle of the trees caused her to pause. She heard a sound. _Just the wind… _She reasoned turning around to scan the area before walking again. In between dancing and humming a tune from Aretha Franklins, she did not notice the shadow sweep behind her before blending in with the darkness again.

"I will survive…" This time, she heard that clicking sound again. She stopped her public parading, and began to take out the pepper spray from her glitter bag. Swiftly she turned around to face… whatever it was. 

Too late.

The cleaver was brought down onto her chest the minute she turned. Red exploded in front of her eyes as she felt her lungs burn causing her breath to bubble in her throat. The excruciating pain was too much to bear. The cleaver was brought up then down again as it re-entered her body, hacking her flesh, mutating it into a deformed pile of lump where it was once beautiful white porcelain skin. Her chest felt like hot black coal had been ignited in her collapsed lungs, using it as a cauldron for its fiery hell. Instantaneously, her vision began to get blurred. The only thing she saw was the glimmer from the fatal weapon… and the black trench coat sweeping over her.

***

"Ooops, sorry." Selphie mumbled agitatedly as she bumped into her five hundred and fortieth person. All the while desperately trying to search for unusual characters. 

"No biggie." The man she bumped into said, flashing her a grin, a very nice fine grin. "Wanna get a beer?" The man asked her. Nodding her head, they began to move towards the bar. 

***

_Selphie, where are you_. Irvine Kinneas thought, drowning out "Chrissie" as she went on talking about how tired she was and how she very much wanted to go back to her room but needed help up. 

_There she is._ Standing in the middle of the dance floor looking absolutely lost. He felt a pang as she smiled at something the person she bumped into had said to her. She nodded at him and they began to head for the bar.

_Gosh, what is Selphie doing? She should be concentrating on the mission, not flirting_. Irvine flared up. The man had taken to touching her… _That's it. I have to get her_. Raising his hand to stop Chrissie from talking he walked towards his target leaving the blond to sputter angrily. __

_The man is trouble, for all I know he could have a weapon. He might hurt Selphie…In fact I'm sure he's going to hurt Selphie._ Irvine was a few meters away from them but he could only briefly make out what they were saying. 

***

"So how about you…" The man had taken Selphie's hand when Irvine shoved him. 

"Hey man, what the hell do you think you are doing???" The man got up from his fallen position and stared into Irvine's incensed eyes. 

"Is he your boyfriend or something?" The man looked back at Selphie. Selphie remained expressionless as she began considering the question. 

"I have never seen him before." 

"Well good. Cause I am so gonna beat the crap out of you!" The man had closed the gap between himself and Irvine, raising his fist. Irvine stood his ground wearing a poker face all the while...reactions he learnt from Garden, being the combat artist he was.

"Wait!!!" Selphie interjected. Irvine was a gun specialist but ever since the second Sorceress War he was also a knife and combat veteran. Not a good combo for anyone who pissed him off. 

"I saw him. I really don't think he meant to push you." Selphie looked back at Irvine, who just shrugged. "Yeah, sorry." 

Mike did not seem to believe it, and faked a back down before he turned around again to throw a punch at Irvine. 

Shifting to his side, Irvine easily managed to avoid the shot. The man tried again and missed. In one fleetingly agile motion, Irvine's fist was in the man's gut as he used his other fist to pummel the man's ribs. Falling back, the man coughed and backed up against the other dancers. 

"Are you crazy?" It was at this point that Selphie's legs managed to respond, taking her across the room to check the fallen man for any sign of injuries. Then she stood in between both of the men. 

"What are you doing?" She shrieked at Irvine as one of the bouncers began to take Irvine away. She looked angrily at him one last time before turning away to see if Mike needed help.

"Are you alright?" She asked him as he continued coughing. 

"Yeah, god this is embarrassing. You sure you don't know him? Cause he seemed pretty pissed" He asked her in between his coughing fit. Selphie nodded her head and helped him up. They stood awkwardly before Mike made the decision to leave while he still had at least a morsel of his manly pride left.

"So give me a call if you still want to take me up on that offer." He said, giving her a platinum card. Nodding her head she watched him leave the place. 

Everyone had gone back to dancing after realizing with disappointment that the fight was over. Seeing that she would not get any work done on this failed pathetic attempt on a mission, Selphie left the club. 

***

"What the hell was that about?" Irvine asked as he met her outside the club, walking closer to Selphie. The streets were pretty quiet and most of the dancers were still boogieing the house down. 

"I could ask you the same thing! What were you trying to do? Blow our cover? You nearly killed the man!" Selphie retorted. _How dare he ask me that, he was the one who had gotten into a bar brawl!_

"What did he talk to you about?" Irvine asked, looking at her. 

"Whether I was interested in going to bed with him." Selphie said, deadpan, silently fuming. Irvine seemed to believe her. His face was seven shades of red…and it was not from embarrassment. 

"What? He asked you 'that'? I swear I will kick his ass so high, he'd fly!" Irvine roared, trying to go back to the club to find _'Mike'. _Selphie choked back a giggle. Irvine was such a cutie. He'd do that for me? For just a friend… _Guess I can't stay mad at him forever. _

"No dumbo…he asked if I ever considered modeling." Irvine stared at her. 

"That's it? Modeling?" Selphie nodded, noticing Irvine relax a bit. 

"Oh." Irvine paused and Selphie did not bother filling in the silence, choosing instead, to savor his awkwardness. _God. The mission…I hope Drake's in a good mood tonight. A very good mood._

_***_

"Drake." Irvine replied curtly to the solemn man. 

"Headmaster Drake." Came Selphie's polite reply. 

Howard Drake was a very condescending man with a fetish for power. He loved it; he also loved his power games. Unfortunately, for him, he was just a substitute for Headmaster Cid as Cid was taking a vacation in the Trabian region.

"Miss Tilmitt. Kinneas." Drake called as he sat back in his, or Cid's, chair. He waited for the two SeeDs to give him the 411 on the current situation. Both looked stumped. 

"Well? What have you got?" He looked at them with his intense gray eyes, which made Selphie shudder inwardly. He waited before inwardly smirking. _Trust them to screw up._

"We were unable to get any information. Yet." Irvine spoke up, impertinently. _Damn that boy. If I weren't just a substitute, I would kick his ass back to Galbadia._ Ignoring Irvine's manner he looked towards Selphie. Expecting a somewhat more valuable report from her at least. No chance.

"Well, sir, the place was very crowded. We were unable to perform our duties…" Drake's eyebrows went up, arched like a bridge

"Miss Tilmitt must I remind you that this is a very important mission. Innocent young women are being slaughtered on the streets. And all you can say is…the place was very crowded?"

"Sir, if you were there you would not have been able to…" Drake interrupted again, stopping Selphie's sentence short.

"Yes, I see your point. Since that is the case, then you will need to frequent there more often, very VERY often. My suggestion would be that you, Miss Tilmitt, would see that you get yourself a job there." 

Selphie did not like where that was going. "But the only job available there would be…" Selphie let the sentence die without a proper end before continuing. "Sir you don't expect me to be a, a dancer!That is not in my SeeD credentials!" She looked toward Irvine, but all he did was shrug.

"Well, if other young girls can, I don't see why a "SeeD" member can't. After all, aren't SeeDs supposed to be talented in everything…? Dismissed." His tone silenced them and Drake leaned back in his chair and began to watch them file out of the office, not giving them a chance to defend their sad selves. A small smile appeared on his thin lips as he savored the power he got from dissing them.

***

"Good morning my fellow comrades." Zell cheerfully greeted his two other friends as they took their seats at their usual table. He noted Irvine and Selphie's tired faces and took Selphie's rare frown into account. This could only mean one thing. Drake the drag had struck again. 

"Uh oh, what did he do now?" Zell questioned. Irvine gave him a 'Don't Ask' look. 

Selphie looked down at her cold soggy cereal before turning back towards them. Mornings were supposed to be fun and sunny but today was an exception. Everything felt sour and gloomy to her. 

"What did he do? What did he do???? I'll tell you what he did! That jerk wants me to cage dance in a freaky bar is what he did!!! In front of every one of those slobbering maniacs." Selphie was out of her chair, speaking in a relatively loud voice, attracting unwanted attention. 

"Uh, Sef, maybe you should sit down…" Irvine was looking at something behind her, or more like a 'someone'. 

"He's behind me isn't he?" Selphie asked meekly, face a healthy scarlet red.

"Hmm, Miss Tilmitt, ever considered taking anger management classes? You have a lot of anger for a girl your age." The calm voice said behind her. 

The cafeteria was silent, except for the faint whir of the hotdog machine spinning. Everyone else, who had lacked a simple term called life in their little world, was looking at the obvious commotion in wonderment. Slowly, Selphie turned to face Headmaster Drake, her face a nice scarlet hue. Too late for pleasantries. 

Without waiting for any kind of response from the young SeeD cadet, Drake continued. "Well Miss Tilmitt," His thick accent was getting heavier- not a good sign since he only did that when he was getting ready for his most acidic remarks- "I just wanted to remind you to get yourself a nice little sequined outfit… you don't want to have another failed mission to add to your ever accumulating list do we?" With that he sauntered off. 

Selphie remained where she was; not knowing whether to laugh or cry. To laugh in gratitude because Drake did not do or say anything too nasty or to cry since he didn't need to do anything nasty. Letting her follow through with the mission was already punishment enough…

"Yeah...whatever…" 

***

The soft peculiar humming from the room lingered on as the man slipped on his elastic gloves. Using the scalpel from the metallic stand by his right, he moved toward the motionless body. The dismembered face of Carly Johnson stared back at him with its motionless eyes; eyes that had dilated and rolled behind their lids as he brought down the cleaver into her flesh. He smiled fondly as he remembered the power and thrill he got from her. Her screams had roused him into an exhilarating high, which made him feel heady with morbid pleasure. All his girls had. Still smiling, he stood beside the cadaver of mutilated flesh and began scraping away the coating of skin that covered the body, lightly shaving off the epidermis carefully, not wanting any wrong movements that would cause the veins to be spewed with blood.

In the background of the greenish illuminated room, the faint outline of the man's back overshadowed his hands, covering them; while they performed their sordid surgery, with the faint tune of Bach overpowering the sick sound of a metallic blade slicing open cold lifeless flesh…

***


	2. Ok Whatever

Note: This is a way too short chapter. Sorry suffering from a yearlong writer's block! But I am trying to write more. Treat this as a snippet for things to come. (they will come!)

Title:                 "Ok, Whatever." 

Series:             Lullaby Girls

Author:              Treesh Aradia

Disclaimer:             wish they did belong to me…. but alas…they belong to square…

Pairings:             se/i sq/r

Summary:         This story involves everyone but I will concentrate on Se/I cos they are my favs…besides there are plenty of sq/r fics around… Read and Review…pls!

"Irvine, the mission report?" Selphie's outstretched hand in front of him broke Irvine's train of thought, or lack thereof, as he stared bleary eyed at her. 

"What?"

 Rolling her eyes at his state of perplexity Selphie decided to get it herself. Flipping through it desultorily as the news highlights were starting.

The news reports on the "club murders" had escalated to an all-new level, leading to a degree of hysteria that was starting to scare even the toughest cops on the streets. Ever since the few gang clashes and fights, nothing this ghoulish had ever hit the city. 

Nothing. 

Now though, they had Mr. Hannibal Lector Wannabe roaming the boardwalks. The neighborhood was nowhere safe. Lord, even curfews were being drawn up and extra security was being called in.

Counting last night's casualty, a total of seven girls had already fallen prey to "the henchman" or so the media had called him for his symbolic character traits and trademarked tidbits. A severed chunk of flesh here… a dismembered limb there… not to mention the little smart assed quotes he would copy in blood on some dumb little paper plastered to the little "tidbits" he left behind…tidbits…but never the whole body, never the works. Just a slight tease before the real movie got aired. 

_Boy do I want to watch the movie_…Selphie added without humor. Eyeing Irvine trying to get a glimpse of _something_ in the background of the live footage, Selphie chided him.

"Get serious Irvy! This is really bad!!! I am starting to get the chills, this guy, The Henchman, has serious issues." Selphie sat next to him on the couch, worry lines etched into her youthful forehead. The newscaster in front of the camera was reporting the news of the newest butchery. They identified her as a Miss Carly Johnson. At least the thumb, "the Henchman " had left for the police, told them as much.

"I am reporting live, about fifty meters away from yet another club where the lacerated thumb of a Miss Carly Johnson has been found. Though no new information on this series of murders has been given out to the public, it is safe to say that Carly won't be the last of "the Henchman's" victims, for more, catch the ten o'clock news, I am Tara Cutcher…" The screen faded off into the busy background of Balamb's dock, showing the newscaster trying to get more information from the constable.

"You know, sometimes the news can be so visually impaired. I mean, how hard can it be to show us a picture of this mysterious finger?" Irvine quipped, still squinting at the screen, then became silent as he saw the look on Selphie's face. 

"Why do I even bother Irvine? Obviously, a decent conversation with you would be in the 'impossible possibilities list'! I am going. Got to get to Glitter Tech, my walk in interview starts in an hour." Without so much as a glance at Irvine, Selphie left the room with the report in hand.

"Geez Sef, like you are any better." Irvine muttered, flicking onto another channel…


	3. Underneath Skin

Title:             "Underneath Skin"

Series:           Lullaby Girls

Author:           Treesh Aradia

Disclaimer:       wish they did belong to me…. but alas…they belong to square…

Pairings:         selphie/irvine

Summary:       None whatsoever

Underneath Skin

The shores at the edge of the unknown island fall prey to the violent winds and equally violent tides. The water laps furiously along the isle, taking with it abandoned slippers, old tin cans and a bloody finger. 

Has the Henchman struck again? Has he claimed yet another victim? As of now, we do not know. What we _do_ know is that what lies beneath the cold depths of the sea is his garden. Of flesh.

As the forensics and other officials stay near the docks of Balamb city, checking out the area for incriminating evidence and clues, another site is being hidden. Away from the curious eyes of the media and police. Further down, much further then anyone would think to go, the Henchman has made his temple. 

There, underneath it all lie the bodies of Carly Johnson and her predecessors. All seventeen of them. The small microorganisms that dwell in the sea have long sine eaten the remnants of what they could find. No morals are pondered, for fishes do what fishes so. Swim and survive. Survival means eating.

As we look closer at the bodies of the girls, or what is left of them, we can see the way a scalpel had been run precisely around the orbit of the eye**.** Were it not for our knowledge of the Henchman, we would have thought nothing of this. Thought nothing of its missing two important organs…but whatever _he_ does has a purpose. Though we cannot stay in the murky depths of the sea to ponder it. 

We now resurface to dry land, in search of the girl who will eventually have the answers. The girl he will eventually want…


	4. One Wild Night 01

Title:  "One Wild Night" Part one of a two part chapter

Series: Lullaby Girls

Author: Treesh Aradia

Disclaimer: Not mine. No suing.

Summary: The night where everything hits the fan. Sort of.

One Wild Night.

Glitter Tech. Backstage. Changing Room. Night.

_Oh Crap. I can't do this. Not with all my friends here!_ Selphie Tilmitt, who was currently working undercover, fretted. She stared at her less than modest attire. Candy, her _work buddy_, had picked it out for her. It was, to say the least, some sort of hanky that managed to scarcely cover her upper body. And let's not even talk about her skirt. 

If it could be called so. 

And everyone, every single person whose opinion I value is here. Quistis, Squall, Rinoa… dear sweet lord! Is Rinoa doing a bump and grind?! 

_"Ten minutes girls! Then you go up there and shake that tush!" Kieran hollered backstage, where all of Glitter Tech's dancers were gathered. Primping and such._

_Ten minutes_. Ten Minutes???__

 What did they say about calming nerves? Oh yeah, breathe deeply. And slowly.  

"Sel, hey. Don't worry about it. You'll be fine. I got the jitters too you know? Don't look so surprised. I was pretty decent before I came here… though I can see why you'd think otherwise. This get up does present a less than innocent image doesn't it?" Candy said, smiling in sympathy. Candy who was currently morbidly dressed in a bikini sort of out fit with gigantic big feathers sticking out the back of her …attire.

Before she could say anything to her work buddy, Candy, it was time to shine. Taking a deep breath, Selphie took a step to what she thought of as the _plank towards a sea of crocs_.

Balamb city. Shared Apartment. Afternoon.

"I'm home." Selphie called out to the dim apartment, placing her keys on the drawer before properly greeting Irvine with a casual nod. 

Irvine barely looked at her as he stared at the TV screen. He hadn't gotten up from the couch since she had left for the interview...probably too busy watching the tele to care about anything else. _Hyne knows he does it every other day of the week. When he doesn't have missions or training of course._ Still… 

_Guess we'll get dinner together then._

"Hey Sef, how was the interview? There were more reports about the Henchman being made, but nothing we haven't heard before." Irvine informed her, as if they had not had a tiff earlier in the day.

Selphie nodded at the comment. " I got the job. Big yay. I start tonight by the way. Seems like they are in need of more girls. Seeing as how the ones they had are dead or too afraid of coming back to the club. Candy, the girl helping the beginners get acquainted with the club told me so. Oh and she also told me of my new make over and wardrobe change."

Irvine smiled as he saw her rolling her eyes. Taking a look at his smile Selphie _humphed _withexasperation, causing him to laugh out loud.

 "God Irvine, can you be even more of a perv?" Selphie said with slight annoyance.

Ruffling her hair, Irvine said, "Come on, let's go get some grub." 

*

Zell Dincht, owner of one fourth of _the Loft_ - the city apartment he, Selphie, Irvine and Quistis shared, was the first to arrive at the gang's usual eating-place. Excluding Selphie and Irvine who were already there. From an onlooker's view, it might seem like they were on a date. But Zell, knowing them since they were toddlers knew better. If you ignored how very close they were sitting to each other and how Irvine whispered into Selphie's ear as a lover (and not a friend) would, they would appear to be two platonic friends having an innocent meal together. 

If you ignored all that.

Which made Zell wonder about their status quo. He didn't have the opportunity to wonder… he was already spotted by the cowboy. 

"Zell, over here man!" Irvine beckoned to him, already shifting his seat away from the petite girl.

"So, what are you guys doing tonight? Chris is working at the library; so, I'm game for a night out with my pals. If you have somewhere to go that is."

His friends looked at each other, silently communicating in a way only close friends could. He saw Selphie frown a little, before he heard Irvine say, "Zell, we are going dancing at Glitter-Tech. If you want to, you can tag along." 

Hmm, interesting both of them out at such a provocative place. Where people went to dance _and do other stuff_. 

_I really need to ask either of them about their status quo. _

"Ok Zell, you can stop trying to look so amused. We're just going there to check out the area. You know for _leads_." Selphie drawled in her slight Trabian accent. Earning her a chuckle from Irvine, which she promptly chose to return with a light smack on his forearm.

"Yeah and the fact that Selphie has a job there. One you could prolly blackmail her with."  Irvine interjected.

"Huh?" 

"Little Seffie is going to be Glitter-Tech's new heat dancer." If Zell's eyes could have popped out they would have. _What in the name of the devil is going on?_ But then, he remembered the mission from last night. The same mission that had Selphie so mad. It had to be about that. Still, it would be cool to see her so… what would you call it? 

Snapping out of his line of thought, the same line that would have made Christine gut him like a fish, Zell simply provided a meek yes. Zell Dincht was going to Glitter-Tech tonight.

And no sooner had the conversation filtered out, than Quistis, Rinoa and Squall arrived. 

"Hey gang, guess where we'll be going tonight?" Zell quipped.

A loud groan from the petite girl in her trademark yellow dress could be heard throughout the entire table.

*


	5. One Wild Night 11

Title: "One Wild Night" Part one point one

Series: Lullaby Girls

Author: Treesh Aradia

Disclaimer: Not mine. No suing.

Summary: Previously, Zell becomes privy to Selphie's new _job._ Now we see how it goes...

* * *

One Wild Night 1.1

"So, Irvine, I've been meaning to ask you. What exactly are you two?" Zell shouted, competing with the deafening noise they called music.

"What? Can't hear you!"

"I said what exactly are you and Selphie? Friends, Jedi, chocobo, lovers perhaps?" Zell turned expectantly to Irvine, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but next to Zell. And his curious questioning nature.

What exactly were they? Besides the obvious answer being _friends_. Somehow, it felt like a lie to say that.If Irvine was honest with himself, he wanted more than that Wanted to be more than just friends Zell deserved better than the obvious answerbut now was not the time for a step-by-step dissection of his and Selphie's relationship. Or lack there of. So the obvious answer it had to be.

"We're friends," he said, without managing to prevent a slight pause in between. A pause Zell obviously caught.

"Hah! You paused. Pausing is a definite sign of hesitation!" Zell pointed accusingly to Irvine. "You like her don't you?"

Irvine shrugged, before replying, "Yeah, don't you?"

"Not like _like_ her. Not like you like her." Irvine frowned a bit, confused at Zell.

"Zell, that sentence had way too many likes for my liking. And unless you are her father, I seriously doubt that it's any of your business." Irvine interjected, already starting to walk away from his overly curious friend.

"Sheesh, can't a guy just ask?" Zell mumbled.

Before either of them could say or do anything else, the atmosphere dimmed. The music was cut off and the usual chatter pattered off into silence. The crowd, most of them uncertain of what was about to happen, was confused. For the usual clubbers, they waited in anticipation as the leveled ground of the dance floor got separated into the two sections. The platforms at the ends were elevated till they were ten feet high.

After a few seconds, the platform burst into flames at its side. A few surprised murmurs from the crowd could be heard, but were quickly drowned by the cheers that had erupted just as suddenly as the miniature explosion.

From the dark arched hallways that were connected from the upper level to the now elevated platform, Glitter-Tech's heat dancers appeared, basking in the spectacular light display- the strobe lights were sweeping across the hall like there was no tomorrow.

Everyone stared; transfixed at the already cavorting bodies of the dancers until suddenly a new, fast dance track came on. The beat caught at their feet as the dancers challenged them, and in the blink of an eye the whole floor was moving to the music.

From across the hall, near the gigantic Centra-Designed' pillars, stood Irvine Kinneas.

_Where is she?_

It seemed whenever the both of them were at Glitter Tech; Irvine was left to perpetual task of searching for his best friend.

"Zell, I'm going to look around, ask some questions. Look out for her." Irvine turned to leave but was stopped by Zell's comment.

"Already doing that. Boy, who knew huh?" Zell said, nodding his head towards the subject of his statement. "I so did not know Selphie to be this... wild." There was Selphie Tilmitt, the orphanage gang's most childlike member, doing a sensual twirl around the metal bar that made up part of the "disco-decor".

Irvine grimaced as he looked at Selphie, his innocent Selphie in her costume romping about in a compromising way...with her hair twirling and sweat trickling down her gleaming skin...

Without a word, he walked towards the bar.

* * *

Up on the platform, Selphie was doing no better in controlling her emotions than Irvine. Learning from Candy that afternoon about how to do her job and how to do it well was fine... but applying it up on the platform was not what she called fine. It was degrading and shameful.

From her viewpoint, she could see Irvine walking to the bar after leaving a grinning Zell Dintch in his wake. He did not seem to notice Selphie as he tried to stare at anything that was not Zell. Or her. Indeed! Did she really dance that badly?!

He had just grinned to the bartender, this time round it was a girl..._naturally_.

_What is he up to now?_

He had a vodka cola and was being molested by the girl in front of him. But he did not seem to be noticing. Instead he had leaned forward, bringing himself closer to the girl. He seemed to be having a wonderful time.

_Figures. This is going to be one wild night._

__

* * *

__

"Chrissie," Irvine Kinneas said to the girl serving him his order, all the while still trying to forget the foreplay Selphie was doing up on the platform, "what are you doing here? I never figured you for a bartender."

"Well, what else am I to do? Besides, it does have its perks. I get to talk to good-looking fellas," she said, placing her hand on his, "like yourself." Used to the attention Irvine simply laughed.

"So, anyone new coming in these days?"

"Nah, too many people coming to notice. But, if you must know, there are some new guys coming in here...folks from the Sorceress convention," Chrissie told him, smiling saucily.

"Convention huh?" Irvine drowned out the sounds of all other conversation. _Guess I'll be paying the exhibition hall a visit tomorrow._

__

* * *

Seifer Almasy never figured himself for a clubber. Preferring a small suburban pub to the large discothèque. But he had a job to do, and one he would certainly do well in.

From above the platform, he could see a familiar petite figure twirling about the rails. He smiled as he realized how much fun it would be to tease the messenger girl the next time he saw her. And he hoped it would be soon. If everything went as planned tonight he would probably see more of her soon.

Very, very soon.

* * *

_Stupid Irvine. Did he have to be such a flirt!_ Selphie fumed from where she was dancing. And no, she was _not_ jealous... Merely angry at his flippant work attitude. _Let's hope talking to the girl at the bar had some use!_

She was about to do a back flip twirl when she spotted a familiar someone. What was he doing here? She eyed the man in his gray trench coat for longer than she liked before realizing he was heading for the back alley. The same route one of the girls was taking. Recalling why she was actually at the club in the first place, Selphie decided to leave the joint. Earning her a curious stare from Candy.

Taking a short cut from behind the arched hallways into the alley, Selphie was able to see two distinct silhouettes. _He_was unmistakable, the arrogant flare of his trench coat swirling about his knees as he moved in on the slightly hunched form of the woman before him.

She rushed towards them after what she perceived was the start of an argument about to turn violent. "Hold it right there!"

* * *

"Well, well, if it isn't Trabia's overactive messenger girl,"Seifer Almasy said snidely, looking at Selphie with a supremely irritating smirk.

Hiding her initial surprise at finding him back in Balamb, she continued fiercely, "Seifer, unhand that girl _right_ now," she hissed, "or you'll find yourself a few fingers short of a whole _hand_!" She tried glaring at him for a more effective intimidation effect but Seifer being ... Seifer, merely laughed at what he assumed was a non-threat.

Condescension thy name is Seifer. He looked no different than he had those six months ago when the final fight was over and the world was able to let out its collective breath.

"I don't think so Sef. This little girl is my lucky ticket to solving the case."

Selphie raised an eyebrow. "The case...you don't mean the one that involves Seed Specialists. Operative word being _Seed_."

Seifer merely shrugged. "Makes no difference who solves it, as long as the murders stop. Besides I don't think the team handling it is all that effective. And the operative word is _team_ meaning, you and that Billy the Kid version two-point-oh of yours. Speaking of which, you can tell him to come out from behind that corner."

Selphie turned and sure enough, Irvine was right behind her, already reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulderMore confident now, she faced the annoying man again. For as certain as she had been that she could disable Seifer and his grasping fingers, it wouldn't be just Seifer who would get hurt in a fight. She'd probably get a beating too...

"Somehow Seifer, I doubt your reasons are purely altruistic. And we _are too_ effective!" She completed that with the stomping of her right foot. Maybe she shouldn't have stomped her foot on that last line, she thought, as she heard the hint of Seifer's snicker.

"Oh I'm sure. That's why there've already been seven deaths in let's see...less than a week?"

Before Selphie could come up with a response, Irvine, who had managed to restrain his tongue all this while, finally stepped in "Seifer, whether or not your reasons are altruistic or not, let go of her." Irvine jerked his head to the squirming girl.

Feelingher captor's grip loosen, the girl pulled violently away, not caring as she felt fabric tear along the shoulder seam of her favourite pink top.

And before any of the three could blink, the girl was gone, already running off into the dark.

"Great, thanks a lot Beavis and Butthead. That leaves us without any clues!" Seifer raised his arms in a surrender motion.

"Count yourself lucky you aren't on the ground with your face kissing asphalt. Now let's go back to the bar and we can chat about what you have been up to. Alright?" Irvine said before Selphie could respond. He could tell that her nerves were fraying and he didn't want her to lose her temper

Even then, Seifer had to have the last word. "Not before the hilt of my sword meets your skull Cowboy. But I don't mind getting a drink."

With that he left the two very annoyed Seeds in his wake.

"Are you guys coming or what?"

* * *

Ok...read and review. If not, DIE. Haha kidding. I'm not that violent usually. Realli.

Trish


End file.
